Students at the University of Exeter have been occupying an administration building as part of a protest against pension cuts by Universities UK for over 29 hours.

The students have refused to leave the John Asher Room in Northcote House on the Streatham campus since Monday night in support of the University and College Union.

The students have been running a Twitter feed, keeping followers up-to-date with the situation in the building, showing their ongoing protest and appealing for support and solidarity.

In a statement on Twitter, the group of students wrote: “We are a group of Exeter University students in support of the UCU strike and the broader struggle against the commercialisation of higher education, advocating for a democratised educational system where student, academic and staff voices are empowered. UUK doesn’t represent the interested of British university education and all of those who take part in it. The pension scheme changes we’re fighting against are yet another attempt to make academia more precarious.

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“This morning, on the day UUK and UCU are finally meeting to discuss the issue that has forced this desperate industrial action, we decided to make a statement in support of the values defended by academic unionists. Our university’s Vice Chancellor, Sir Steve Smith, has been especially supportive of the hard-lined stance within the UUK, choosing not to follow 18 vice chancellors in their call to open fair negotiations in spite of student support for the strike. This is precisely why we are taking this action today. The Vice Chancellor Executive Group (VCEG) meeting is the occasion to discuss the issue and reach a reasonable conclusion. Given that management figures have shown apathy towards students and staff in their behaviour and decisions, we take this action as a reminder that we, as students, will not remain apathetic. Our future, and the future of higher education, are at stake.

“We call on Sir Steve Smith, as an influential member of the UUK board (having been president of the UUK for two years from 2009 to 2011), to join so many other VCs and publicly take a conciliatory stance on the USS pension dispute. Furthermore, we demand transparency and accountability in our management. As students funding this institution, we deserve to be aware of where our money is exactly being invested. We’ll also campaign towards to democratisation of university management, aiming to implement students and lecturers in crucial decision-making bodies, in order to ensure that higher education is driven not only by business-minded bureaucrats, but also by those who make up the heart of education.

“We ask Sir Steve Smith to take our concerns seriously, and work towards their achievement. Otherwise, we will continue to actively campaign to ensure that Exeter University receives the caring leadership its students, academics and professional staff deserve.”

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The Exeter branch of the UCU have been appealing for solidarity with the Exeter student occupying the building, and have appealed for people to bring them supplies including wet wipes, shampoo, shower gel, food, drinks and sanitary pads.

A spokesman from the committee of the University of Exeter UCU said: “The committee of the University of Exeter UCU branch stands beside our students who have today occupied the John Asher Room in Northcote House.

“Together, staff and students are defending existing pension rights which are under threat from policy decisions taken without the full and fair participation of the grass roots membership, and student body, they will ultimately effect.

“We support our students’ statement demanding a more democratic, open and caring decision making structure for the University of Exeter, and the higher education system more broadly.

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“Finally, the democratic right to protest is sacrosanct, and we support our students’ right to do so, just as they have supported us in our picketing.

“Together we are making a statement in defence of a shared vision for higher education.”

Universities around the country have arranged various strike action in support of the UCU.

A spokesman for the University of Exeter said: “A small number of students have gathered in a meeting room and a reception area on the University’s Streatham Campus. We respect students’ right to protest, provided they do so in a safe and legal manner.”